The startup Fast is a hit in Silicon Valley. But its CEO raises eyebrows in Australia

In 2010, Australian entrepreneur Domm Holland had an idea: he was going to punk the country's largest airline.

He had bought the domain Qant.as for just $20 and practically waved it in the face of Qantas Airways.

"The domain name Qant.as could be snapped up by a competitor so damage to Qantas's business could be in the millions of dollars," Holland told the Australian at the time.

To apply even more pressure, Holland redirected Qant.as' web traffic to Virgin Blue, a rival airline.

He eventually claimed he had sold the domain for $1.3 million, but refused to identify the buyer.

Records show that it is now registered to Qantas Airways Limited. The site is currently inactive. The airline did not return a request for comment.

It's an early career example of something Holland would become known for in Australia: pushing boundaries to command attention and make a buck.

Now he's exported that brash style to the U.S., where venture capitalists have lapped it up. They have lined up in droves, pouring millions into Fast, Holland's San Francisco startup that offers one-click checkout and password storage, a competitive corner of e-commerce where a handful of upstarts are attempting to challenge the might of Apple, Google and Amazon.

Some in Australia say the way he has reinvented his image is a deliberate escape from his past and an insult to those harmed by his past business.

With a new image, aiming to be a 'unicorn'

In some ways, Holland fits the stereotype of a flashy tech executive who relishes thrills and wears the capitalist rebel badge on his sleeve.

He skydives and boasts about his sports boat on Instagram. Last fall, he started before exiting through the window to applause and loud cheers as a handler slipped a salmon-colored blazer on him. He himself "the world's fastest CEO."